1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for recovering the active or potentially active species from a partially deactivated hydrocarbon conversion catalyst. More particularly this invention relates to a process for extracting with a hydrocarbon feedstock the active or potentially active species from a partially deactivated catalyst comprising (a) one or more Lewis acids of the formula MX.sub.n where M is selected from Group III-A, IV-B, V or VI-B elements of the Periodic Table, X is a halogen, n is the ratio of halogen atoms to atoms of M and varies from 1-8, and (b) a strong Bronsted acid. The preferred Lewis and Bronsted acids are tantalum or niobium pentafluoride or mixtures thereof and hydrogen fluoride, respectively.